Google Reveals Nexus Tablet, Other Goodies

Google Inc. will start selling its first tablet, the seven-inch Nexus, in mid-July. It revealed the tablet entry, built by Asus, and some other goodies at its developers conference on Wednesday.

Google clearly hopes that its tablet entry will take on the popular iPad from Apple and other successful entries, like the Kindle Fire. It’ll be going up against Microsoft’s Surface, but the Google entry will boast a pile of tablet-specific apps for the Nexus’ Android operating system.

The Nexus tablet seems more aimed at the Kindle device than the iPad, with its $199 price tag and seven-inch size. It will be sold initially on the Google Play store and features a front-facing camera, giving it a slight edge over the Fire in the specifications department.

Google also hopes the Nexus tablet will serve as a sort of conduit to its content, like YouTube and Google Play. This is similar to how the Kindle Fire is less an iPad killer and more a window to the soul of the online retailing giant. Google is banking on an analogous approach and is hoping that its lower price tag will lure at least some customers away from the iPad and toward the Nexus.

“They all but called it a Kindle Fire killer. They’re clearly gunning for that number two spot behind Apple’s iPad that is currently occupied by Kindle,” said Altimeter Group analyst Chris Silva. “But the con is they do not yet have a footprint in people’s minds and wallets as the go-to place to purchase and consume media.”

Also at the conference, Google Glass was revealed. This is, of course, the futuristic-looking eyeglass computer system that live streams events and performs computing tasks. It will be available for U.S.-based developers for a tag of $1,500.

The Nexus Q was also showcased. This is essentially a consumer media-streaming device. It comes in the form of a ball that uses Android Beam with mobile devices to stream media “from the cloud” to speakers or television screens. According to engineering director Joe Britt, this is “the first consumer electronics device Google has designed from the ground up.”

Everything here is obviously about integrating with “every aspect of consumers’ lives” to promote Google’s products on the most complete level possible. Google wants its products to be as ubiquitous and “necessary” as possible, so we can expect a big push from the company as these products make their respective ways to market.